Online Courses for PSA Members

Education Services Director and Instructor

PSA Online Courses are a PSA-member benefit, designed to help beginning and advanced photographers improve their skills in a guided manner. They are free to all members and usually take place over a period of months. To enroll in a course, fill out the corresponding online Enrollment Form. You will be contacted shortly thereafter to set up the course.

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Photography Analysis

Image Analysis

This online course is designed for individual members of PSA who wish to know more about photography and what may constitute a pleasant photographic image, and would like to learn what to say in the analysis or evaluation of a photograph.

COURSE INSTRUCTORS:Jon Fishback, Ron Paxton

COURSE ENROLLMENT:Course Enrollment Form (requires member be already logged in or link will take you to home page to login)

Many times camera club members are called upon to discuss the work of others. The Image Analysis Course is designed so the student may learn to formulate thought patterns toward more intelligent discourse.

ABOUT THE COURSE:

This course is also designed to improve the student's personal work through comprehensive analysis of the work of others. The lessons will contain the work of master photographers as well as the work of the amateur and beginner, for a broad range of visual stimulation.

Since the course is designed for members of the PSA, it is designed to help the student evaluate work within the framework of PSA-recognized International Exhibitions and the camera club environment. Evaluation of student's analyses by the instructor will be for the purpose of helping the student have a positive and productive PSA experience and contribute to the positive experience of others.

The course is self-contained; there is no text book or additional material required. There are 12 lessons to be completed in three (3) months. Each lesson includes two images to be analyzed by the student for a total of 24 images. The instructor returns the analysis with comments and discussion regarding what was written by the student. When one lesson is finished and returned to the student, the next lesson is sent. It is planned that the student will finish the course in the three (3) months allotted; however, if a student is not finished at the end of the three (3) months the course will end. An application for an extension will be considered, under special circumstances.

At the successful conclusion of the course a certificate will be sent to the student, and the student's name will be listed here and in the PSA Journal.

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Individualized Photography

Creating Competitive Images

This course is for the intermediate to advanced worker that wishes to fine tune their competitive eye. All course material is provided, there is nothing to buy.

Competition is a major activity in PSA and camera club. This course will attempt to teach the norms necessary for making images which may have a better chance for judge’s acceptance.

This course is not for the beginning photographer, and will not deal with the basics of camera operation. This is a structured course with six lessons and multiple exercises to be completed in six months.

COURSE INSTRUCTORS: Jon Fishback, APSA; Scott Fowler, APSA

COURSE ENROLLMENT:Course Enrollment Form (requires member be already logged in or link will take you to home page to login) There is a combined application for Creating Competitive Images, Photography Instruction, and Still Life Photography.

Photography Instruction (students work with instruction)

This course is designed for the beginner to intermediate worker that wishes a more traditional instruction process. The advantage of this type of training is the technical instruction provided within the lesson text which may go a long way toward guiding the beginning and intermediate student toward the goal provided.

This is a structured course based on lessons provided online. These lessons are designed to instruct and then provide the student the opportunity to submit work based on the lesson instructions. The lesson content has been selected based on past experience with student's interests.

The lessons are:

1. The elements of photography2. Portrait photography3. Architectural and Night photography4. Macro and Still life photography5. Action, Sports and Animals

6. The Landscape

This course is available to individual members of PSA. Students will have six (6) months to complete the course. At the end of that period we hope you will be finished. If, however, you are not finished, the course will end.

After completion of an assignment, and when your instructor is satisfied, a new assignment will be sent to you. There is no textbook requirement for this course.

Additional needs: Camera, computer and access to the internet, the ability to work with Microsoft Word, the ability to upload and download photographs, and Adobe Reader.

At the successful conclusion of the course a certificate will be sent to the student, and the student's name will be listed here and in the PSA Journal. We hope you have as much fun as we do making these courses available to you.

Portraits in Available Light (in English)

This course is designed for the serious worker who may not feel strong doing portraits of people in available light. The course will dwell heavily on backgrounds and available light.

ABOUT THE COURSE:There will be six lessons, all designed to help the student make portraits of individual subjects in a proper setting and with minimum distraction. The course is not designed to help the student make portraits for competition. The course is designed to give the student a foundation in portraiture so advancement toward competitive portraiture may be much easier.

There will be no discussion of electronic flash, umbrellas, snoots or background lights. There will also be no lessons on hair lights, makeup, or software that make the portrait look unnatural. There will be no instruction regarding complex setups with multiple people. There will be no discussion of weddings or babies.

The only light discussed in the course will be available light; there will be no discussion of studio work or the use of supplemental lighting. All of this will be left for a more advanced study.

There will be lessons on portraits of men, women, and children. At least four of the lessons will dwell on the head and shoulders portrait. One lesson, #5, will revolve around the ¾ pose and its pitfalls. The final lesson, #6, is an elective and the student may wander into any area of portraiture that is comfortable, bringing forth the tools learned in the previous five lessons.

This course will be six (6) months in duration, with one lesson expected to be done every month, at the very least.

At the successful conclusion of the course a certificate will be sent to the student, and the student's name will be listed here and in the PSA Journal

This course is designed for the intermediate to advanced worker and should be familiar with photography in general. Through guidance of each lesson and completing its accompanying assignments this course will help you in creating a pleasing still life photograph.

COURSE INSTRUCTOR:

Vicki McLead

COURSE ENROLLMENT:Course Enrollment Form (requires member be already logged in or link will take you to home page to login)

There is a combined application for Creating Competitive Images, Photography Instruction, and Still Life Photography.

All work presented in this course will be photographed specifically for this course, after the date of enrollment. No work created previously will be considered.

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Advanced Photography

The History of Photography

This is not a course for beginning photographers. It is designed for those who already understand their camera, peripheral equipment, have been serious about photography for some time, and have a substantial archive of serious work. This course is for those who have the time each week to complete a lesson.This course, much like a college course, includes written work as well as photography, many times both in the same lesson. The textbook contains nearly 300 pages and over the sixteen weeks, all will need to be read and understood. The course is primarily essay work regarding the history of photography with challenging photographic assignments.

Course Instructor: Jon Fishback

COURSE ENROLLMENTCourse Enrollment Form (requires member be already logged in or link will take you to home page to login)

ABOUT THE COURSEThe course is developed around a sixteen (16) week semester. There will be 16 lessons, one to complete each week. Students missing three lesson assignments without a very good excuse will be dropped from the course. Extension of weekly lesson assignments for valid reasons (e.g., travel, illness) will be considered.

This is not primarily a digital photography class, however those using film may find additional pressure to finish lesson assignments in one week.

A small portfolio of the member's work and a short resume will be required before acceptance. Not all who apply will be accepted.

This course is available to all PSA members. Students will have sixteen (16) weeks to complete the course. At the end of that period we hope you will be finished. If, however, you are not finished, the course will end.

After a completed assignment has been received by your instructor, a new assignment will be sent to you. If there is re-work to be done it will need to be done in the week following its submission. There are no grades; the course is pass/fail. There is no delay for failing to adequately present a lesson. As long as the lesson is submitted the course will continue. For presentation of the certificate your instructor must be satisfied with all sixteen (16) lessons.

After successful completion of this course, you will be allowed an additional four (4) weeks of post graduate work of your choice. The area of study will be discussed with your instructor.

The tools for this course are very simple. You need to buy the textbook; "The History of Photography" by Beaumont Newhall, published by the Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1982. It is available online in new or used copies and should be purchased before making application. The ISBN number for searching purposes is: 8-87070-381-1

What you will need in addition to the textbook.

A camera with manual capabilities

A computer and access to the Internet.

The ability to work with Microsoft Word.

The ability to upload and download digital images.

PhotoShop or the equivalent

At the successful conclusion of the course a certificate will be sent to the student, and the student's name will be listed here and in the PSA Journal.

A Portfolio Experience

Any member of PSA may apply. However, not everyone will be eligible. This is an advanced course and the applicant should be very familiar with photography in general. A small portfolio of the applicants work will be required.

ABOUT THE COURSE: All work presented in this course will photographed specifically for this course, after the date of enrollment. No work created previously will be considered.

The portfolio will consist of at least 10 images

The images must be thematic, that is, of a single theme. For example: late blooming iris, racing greyhounds, or cemetery headstones.

This course description is a simple outline description of the course and does not actually mirror the lesson template which is provided separately. It is an advanced photography course for the serious worker who may want challenges beyond the scope of his or her present work. The course will be considered to be six (6) months in duration and will have one (1) project.

Required for this course is the purchase of the book, "On Being a Photographer" by Bill Jay and David Hurn. It may be purchased online as a hard copy or downloadable. It is available here as well as used elsewhere online. http://www.lenswork.com/lwp.htm

PROJECTS: Part A - Selecting a Subject: Over the course of two weeks or less, the student will list projects. Using text instruction provided, the student will compile a list of as many projects as possible. The student will be required to submit progress on this exercise at regular intervals during the two week time frame. After this weekly progress reports will be sent to the instructor.

Part B: Reduce the list to do-able projects. This is explained in the textbook, or by handouts.

Part C: Using the list compiled in Part B, select one project and in the time frame of six (6) months or less, create one or more of the following:

Selection 1: A thematic portfolio of at least 15 images, and no more than 20. The portfolio is to be printed and prepared for presentation housed in an archival clam shell portfolio box. (Size to be agreed upon by the instructor and student.) Copy photographs of the finished images as well as all presentation material will be required for completion.

Selection 2: A thematic gallery show of at least 10 images and not more than 15. Images to be mounted and matted and prepared as if being presented to a gallery for a show. Copy photographs of the finished mounted and matted images will be required for completion.

Selection 3: A thematic book of at least 15 pages.

Selection 4: Application for publication in LensWork magazine

Selection 5: application for the distinction LPPSA

The book is to be published using one of the online publishing houses such as Blurb. The book pages will be presented to the instructor and a photograph of the finished book will be required for completion as well as the link to the finished publication online. Success of the project will be determined by how well the photographer follows the theme as well as the relationship between the images within the theme and their individual quality. Additional requirements for completion will be specific to the section chosen.

At the successful conclusion of the course a certificate will be sent to the student, and the student's name will be listed here and in the PSA Journal.

Creating Portfolios for Assessment

The Photographic Society of America (PSA) awards a distinction for a successful portfolio assessment. (BPSA, SPSA, and GPSA.) This is a very advanced course and one that will require the student to have a substantial archive of competitive images. It is recommended that the student’s archive consist of no less than 50 to 75 competitive images around any particular theme.

ABOUT THE COURSE: This is a short course to be finished in two (2) months. It consists of three (3) lessons; each lesson is a building block toward the creation of a portfolio.

The lessons are:

The Theme

The Overview Image

The Statement of Intent

The student will be expected to understand each of the three important elements in a portfolio, as well as demonstrate proficiency in each.

Successful completion of this course does not guarantee a successful portfolio assessment, however the student should come away with an understanding of the portfolio elements.

A certificate will be sent to the student after successfully completing the course.

ABOUT PSAThe Photographic Society of America (PSA) is a worldwide organization for anyone with an interest in photography. Founded in 1934, the Society is for casual shutterbugs, serious amateurs, and professional photographers.

PSA has members in over 80 countries. Individual and photo organization memberships offer a wide variety of services and activities: a monthly journal; online photo galleries; image evaluation; study groups; courses; competitions; an annual conference; opportunities for recognition of photographic achievement and service; and discounts on photography-related products and services. To learn more about PSA and its activities, visit About PSA.

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